After-dark dressing has a slick new attitude this party season, as sexy, stripped-back minimalism meets high-octane, ’80s-inspired glamour. Dutch model ANNA DE RIJK showcases the standout suits, dresses and evening tops that will set you apart from the crowd as she tells MEGAN LOGUE about her signature style, interiors obsessions and throwing the perfect party.
Dutch model Anna de Rijk, 30, began her career at the age of 16; by twenty she had walked in a Chanel couture show and went on to land campaigns for fashion titans such as Dior and Prada. After taking some time away from the industry to study art and design, she’s back with a bang. Here, she showcases the best party pieces of the season and shares a glimpse into her world…
“I WAS FIRST SCOUTED AT A CHRISTMAS PARTY. A photographer I met at my neighbor’s holiday party suggested I try modeling. The timing was quite weird as I had actually been thinking about it in the months before I was scouted. I used to model for my mom when I was a kid, she had a magazine column about making clothes for children. I did it in exchange for book tokens so, in some ways, I was always aware that modeling was a viable job, but I just figured I’d do a shoot for a supermarket every few months. I knew nothing about the world of high fashion. My previous experience was obviously limited, but it did mean I was quite natural in front of the camera. Making images is a collaborative process and as a model you have to understand what to do with your face and body and what mood to bring.”
“I’M GLAD I MADE THE DECISION TO TAKE SOME TIME OUT. I stopped modeling for three years and went to art school in Ghent in Belgium, and that decision has made me a better model. Ghent is a really small city and so far away from the fashion world. I had already lived in Paris and New York so starting all over again in a new city was daunting but it was really good for me to meet different people who thought about things in a completely different way. I felt like I’d gone straight from school into a career and I wasn’t sure if that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I just needed to do something for myself and find my own path. In the end, it led me back here. After giving myself that distance, I feel like I’ve become a better model. I meditate before I go on set and I make sure to project positive energy. I’ve seen some really positive change during my time in the industry. Social media has given models a platform and encouraged us to have a sense of identity. Now, there’s so much more diversity in terms of gender and skin color, which is great to see.”
“I ONLY BUY THINGS IF I REALLY LOVE THEM AND THEY EXCITE ME – it’s a much more sustainable way to shop. I like creating a sense of identity through my clothes because, as a model, that’s not something you can do for yourself very often. I loved the leather pants from this shoot; they strike the perfect balance between relaxed and sexy – perfect for a night out.”
“MY IDEA OF ‘SEXY’ IS A GREAT TOP AND JEANS, NOT A MINI-SKIRT. If I’m going dancing, I want to wear something comfortable that I can actually dance in. That’s why I only wear mid-height heels. I have a great pair by Ann Demeulemeester that are tough but cool at the same time; they give my look a little lift. In terms of makeup I might do a lipstick in an earthy color or a little bit of eyeshadow, but I’m pretty minimal. One thing I do know is that if it’s a glowy look you’re after, then you can’t beat a facial massage.”
“BUILDING MY HOME IN AMSTERDAM WAS A DREAM COME TRUE. Growing up, I used to dream about creating my own home and I still dream a lot about spaces and houses. On the other hand, my boyfriend built the stairs by hand and still has nightmares about them collapsing! As a model, you stay in hotels quite a lot and you’re in different clothes and makeup every day – your identity is always shifting. This design process felt like a really powerful exercise in working out who I am and what I want from a home. I was really inspired by American artist Donald Judd’s home and studio – though in the end my house didn’t bear any resemblance to it. I did incorporate lots of fluid walls and details into the final design that were inspired by the work of painter Hilma af Klint. Of course, the house isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I love it.”
“MY BOYFRIEND AND I WANT TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. We’d like to host a party where we display artwork and have some of our musician friends play for everyone. Even when I lived in New York, a city with a great nightlife scene, house parties were always my favorite. I especially love it when they’re spontaneous – they always feel so full of life… I think it’s the intimacy. I host a lot of dinner parties that often end up with everyone dancing. I love to cook for people, and my kitchen is really central to my home.”
“THE BEST PARTIES I’VE BEEN TO HAVE BEEN WEDDINGS. I’ve just turned 30, so it feels like all my friends are getting married; I don’t know if that’s what I want for myself, but it has made me realize I love weddings. There’s this shared feeling of love and everyone is just kind of overflowing with emotion, especially at destination weddings – everyone is so committed to the celebration and just living in the moment.”
“I’M EXPERIMENTING WITH FILM. I’ve been taking acting classes, which modeling has certainly helped with. So much of modeling is about communicating through your body; there are so many unspoken conversations going on when you’re on-set. I’m also really interested in being behind the camera. Currently I’m working on a short film where I worked as director, editor and set builder. I don’t know if I want to get into feature films – for now, I’m happy working on my own small projects.”
“MY BOYFRIEND AND I ARE LIKE YIN AND YANG. He’s a filmmaker and acted as the director of photography on my piece. In the future we’d love to create work together, but it’s hard because I travel so much. When I’m home we enjoy just spending time together: watching movies, seeing exhibitions, cooking and taking the dog for a walk. I’d be curious to see what our joint project would look like as I feel like we are really complementary as people. We really understand each other but we also have different perspectives and qualities to bring to the table. I think that’s why we work so well.”